


Crimson Flower: Servants of the Throne

by LeilaD



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/F, M/M, Spy thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:48:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29293176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeilaD/pseuds/LeilaD
Summary: The companion piece to Dawn of Unification: as with that work, I am leaving out canon dialogue and scenes, and focusing on the events between the official cut scenes and battles. Based on my most recent Crimson Flower run through. I am focusing more on the intrigue and shadow war with the Slitherers.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

_Well. She doesn't speak much, does she?_ Hubert mused, watching his classmates make monkeys of themselves as they were introduced to their new professor. She folded her arms and cocked her weight onto her left hip, watching the students chattering among themselves. Just as he was pretty sure the fools had forgotten she was there, Professor Myrina Eisner spoke.

"It appears our first lecture will be the Monday after the mock battle," she said and, remarkably, they all stopped to listen to her clear alto voice. "Until then, please keep practicing daily. I will review the notes regarding your aptitude exams."

She gave a brief nod and walked across the classroom to sit down at her new desk. She picked up a stack of papers and began to read intently.

"Apparently, she will review them immediately," he murmured to Lady Edelgard, whose eyes flickered over to regard her.

"I wonder what she intends to do until the mock battle," Edelgard mused. "I was hoping to get a better measure of her before then."

"Her very presence has disrupted two of your plans already, my lady," his voice was a thin line of a whisper.

"Hush, Hubert, not here," she said. "If our Professor has nothing more for us, I believe I will take a walk."

"An excellent plan, my lady," he approved. As Lady Edelgard left the classroom, Hubert glanced at the front of the room again. Professor Myrina watched Edelgard leave. Her dark blue eyes then flickered back to him. There was something unsettling in her gaze, he noted with irony- as people often said that about him. She did not, however, look quickly away as most people did when faced with unexpected eye contact. Instead, she continued to study him, and then turned her glance casually to where Caspar was challenging Ferdinand to a sparring match using axes. She then returned her concentration to the papers.

 _A most unusual woman,_ Hubert thought and turned to follow Lady Edelgard.

He found her in the courtyard, tucked behind the gazebo where the wall of the building would shelter her from the wind.

"It is not as if the entire effort was in vain," Edelgard said without preamble. "Those clumsy bandits can't be traced to us and Jeritza is still employed where I can use him, even if he's not a homeroom professor. And this new professor is someone who might have the potential to be of use to us."

"A common sell-sword, my lady?" he asked disinterestedly. He had learned she loved to give explanations if someone didn't seem to be prying.

"A very skilled one," Edelgard said. "And I have reason to believe she is unfamiliar with the church- a bonus. She knows how to use the terrain to her benefit, how to maximize resources to take out a larger group with only two fighters, and is rather unflappable."

Hubert bit down a surge of irrational jealousy. "A useful tool, then."

"More useful if I could have convinced her to work for the Empire instead of coming to work at the monastery, but at least I have her under my eye."

"We all work better when your eye is upon us, Lady Edelgard," he assured her with a bow.

Edelgard sighed lightly. "I am going to find something to read since we aren't having classes for a couple of days. Although, perhaps I should make a point of being in the training grounds every morning- she may be testing us to see how dedicated we are to our studies without direct supervision."

Hubert realized that Lady Edelgard indeed had a point. It was the sort of thing his lady would do, after all, and this mercenary might be no different.

* * *

At dinner that evening, Hubert took note of where everyone was. He was of course dining with the Lady. Ferdinand, Caspar, and Linhardt ate as a group nearby. He didn't spot Bernadetta anywhere, but that was not unusual. Professor Myrina, Petra, and Dorothea walked in as a group, fetched trays, and sat together at the end of a long table. Petra picked at her food, but seemed interested enough in the conversation.

After dinner, the other two girls walked off together in conversation. The Professor glanced around the mess hall, then rose and left. When Hubert finished his own meal, he made sure that Lady Edelgard made it safely to her room and then he went downstairs. He listened for a moment to determine that Bernadetta was indeed in her own room- it was, after all, his duty to make sure of where the Black Eagles were and that they were not, in fact, carrying on secret intrigues and conspiracies that could harm Lady Edelgard. He was most suspicious of von Eire, but he could not ignore any potential threat.

Like that one.

He saw Professor Myrina emerge from her room, dressed now in a long blue skirt and wearing her black jacket properly fastened against the cold. She turned and wandered towards the training grounds, paused again, then turned and walked up the stone stairs by her room.

 _She's probably just visiting the bathhouse or sauna,_ he thought dismissively, but crept noiselessly closer to make sure. Sooner than he expected, he saw her coming back down the stairs again. He stepped behind the bushes and watched her pass. Then he stepped out and followed her at a safe distance to the greenhouses and past the fishing pond, where the gate guard turned her back. She bowed and acquiesced without a word.

_So her movements are as restricted as the students'. Fascinating._

He stood in the corner of the wall by the stairs and she didn't glance his way as she climbed the steps. He heard the mess hall door open and close. He counted to thirty and followed, just in time to see her exit into the courtyard. When he slid through the wrought-iron gate, she was standing, coincidentally, where he and Edelgard had spoken earlier in the day, arms crossed and weight cocked on one hip.

"You were following me." She said bluntly. "Why?"

"Good work, Professor. You are the first one ever to notice me."

She didn't reply, but watched him with an unemotional expression.

"I found your movements suspicious and it aroused my curiosity."

"I am familiarizing myself with the layout and with the defenses," she explained, her voice just as flat as her expression. "Our first lecture will be on the monastery itself, since the concrete examples are close to hand. I don't see how that would be considered 'suspicious'."

"Interesting notion, Professor. Are we attacking or defending?" he asked.

"Both," came the even reply.

After a moment, it became obvious that she wasn't going to say any more. "Very well," he conceded. "I bid you good night, Professor."

"Next time, I would suggest you leave much more space between yourself and your target. You left yourself with nowhere to hide when I turned unexpectedly at the gate. Good night, Master von Vestra."

Hubert gave a reluctant bow and walked away. She sounded eerily like his father when she corrected him on his skulking. Hubert couldn't abide the treacherous old man. Did she have some experience herself in the shadow game?

* * *

The morning of the mock battle burned bright and clear. Edelgard was a little concerned that they had not discussed strategy even once. The entire school left in a happy, giggling group, except that several of the Black Eagles were giving their new professor uneasy looks. It wasn't until the three houses had split to go to their starting positions that Myrina pulled a canvas-wrapped bundle from the back of the donkey she led.

"Rules stipulate the professor, the house leader, and three others." She pulled out a practice sword and snapped it to her baldric, then strung a practice bow. "Edelgard, take ax, sword, and bow. Linhardt, provide back-up and healing. Caspar, front line, ax, lure 'em in. Hubert, grab a lance- shoot dark magic until you're out, then join Edelgard, Caspar, and I in the front. The rest of you- bleachers and watch. Let's spread out and make 'em choose their targets. Move!"

She moved down the line, quickly marking the edges of their practice weapons with red chalk as the rest of their class jogged towards the bleachers, Bernadetta complaining about having to come out if she wasn't even participating.

"Seteth calls you out, you're out. Don't shame the Black Eagles." Myrina said firmly.

Hubert had never seen this brisk, decisive stranger before. She was completely different from the woman he had been observing since she came to the monastery. Absurdly, Edelgard found herself smiling. 

"Take your positions!" Seteth ordered. Edelgard, Myrina, and Caspar spread out along the treeline that opened on the clearing they were supposed to be taking. Myrina's eyes narrowed as she scanned the 'battlefield' before her, her face otherwise emotionless. She raised her red-edged sword.

"Black Eagles- advance!"


	2. Chapter 2

The Black Eagles were jubilant. The Professor's strategy of "lure 'em in, divide and conquer" worked perfectly and they hadn't lost a single "casualty" on their side. The biggest problem had been two archers coming at them at once. Myrina had struck Ashe down, but after that she had simply "wounded" their opponents and let her students tally up the "kills". Hubert had also been "softening up" the melee units, resulting in his only getting credit for Professor Manuela's defeat, and even Linhardt had finished off Dedue with a Nosferatu. Edelgard accounted for Mercedes, Hilda, and (the final defeat) Hanneman, while Caspar had credit for Lorenz, Ignatz, Dimitri, and Claude. Edelgard was miffed that the rankings showed Caspar ahead of her.

"Professor," Petra asked, puzzled. "I would like to be understanding why you did not even tell us who would be participating. Are we not supposed to be learning the command as well as the using of weapons?"

Myrina folded her arms across her large chest. "What the class doesn't know, individual students can't talk about later in the mess hall where other classes can overhear. Since none of you knew our strategy, none of you could accidentally let it slip. This is known as 'need to know doctrine' and prevents spies from being able to report back to their masters. Once two people know a secret, it isn't a secret anymore."

Hubert nodded, but most of the other Eagles still looked skeptical.

"So, basically, you're saying you don't trust us?" Caspar said incredulously.

"She hasn't known any of us more than a couple of weeks," Hubert pointed out.

"Yeah, well, you don't trust anyone," Caspar snorted.

"It's not a matter of trust. It's a matter of information security," Myrina explained. "Now, I will see all of you for classes on Monday."

The Black Eagles filed out. Hubert took note of who looked dissatisfied with the explanation and who was pragmatic enough to accept it- or clever enough to hide their reactions. _Hmmm. Dorothea, Petra, Ferdinand, and Caspar all seem to be idealists. Lady Edelgard is too wise to show what she feels. Bernadetta is too fragile to care that the Professor chose not to trust her. Linhardt... Linhardt either does not care or is pragmatic. I shall have to watch him..._

And watch he did. Over the course of the weekend, Hubert kept an eye on Myrina as she learned the layout of the monastery. She once again dined with Petra and Dorothea. He shook his head at Dorothea's flightiness and was disgusted as both Petra and Myrina hesitantly flirted back.

_Of all the useless, time-wasting, empty-headed..._

He glanced back across the table and saw Edelgard was also watching the three ladies having lunch together with an odd, hard-to-read expression.

"Whatever is bothering you, my lady?" he asked.

"It's foolish," she said, turning her attention back to the stir-fry.

"Lady Edelgard could never be foolish," Hubter assured her with a seated half-bow.

"I wanted to assess her and her abilities, and it's as if she has been assessing me and finding me wanting," Edelgard said. "And I am the house leader, but she kept ordering Caspar forward to take the victories. Is she trying to flatter and make up to the minister of military affairs through his younger son?"

"If she is overlooking the future emperor in favor of the minister's son, that is indeed foolish and short-sighted of her," Hubert agreed. "Perhaps she believes the minister is the one in charge of hiring the mercenaries who bolster our Imperial troops and she believes him to be more valuable for her long-term career."

"I found her," Edelgard muttered. "I offered her work first."

The three ladies rose. Petra and Dorothea once more left together. Professor Myrina walked in their direction. Once more, Hubert and Edelgard busied themselves with their plates.

"Your Highness," Myrina said, stopping directly beside her. "The kitchen staff has just received a shipment of late apples and have requested help boiling them down. You and I will be on kitchen duty this afternoon."

"Surely such a chore is beneath the dignity of-"

"No, Hubert, it's all right," Edelgard interrupted him. "I would be happy to aid our professor."

"All students are expected to aid in whatever chores are deemed necessary," Myrina told Hubert. "Even if I asked her to clean the men's latrines." She turned on one booted heel and walked off.

"Unbelievable," Hubert folded his arms, his appetite gone.

"My friend, I foresee latrines in your future if you let her see you like that," Edelgard tossed her hair and went to put her tray away.

Edelgard allowed herself to indulge in a little complaining as the afternoon wore on. When cutting up the pecks and pecks of apples, she noted that she was more comfortable with a sword or axe than a kitchen knife (and joked that this would take much less time if she used one), and during the long, hot process of boiling it down and constant stirring, stirring, stirring that she didn't have much experience in the kitchen and it wasn't her forte. The complaints fell on deaf ears. Myrina didn't say a word as they worked side-by-side and Edelgard also said nothing as the cook showed them how to seal the jars in a canning bath.

But in the end, when the last jar was partially filled and rather than sealing it they were allowed to spread some of the fresh apple butter on a piece of bread and eat it, Edelgard felt a flash of pride at what she and Professor Myrina had achieved together.

* * *

On the first official day of classes, the Black Eagles walked into the training yard in groups of twos. Professor Myrina looked around at all of them, then pointed at Ferdinand. "Go and fetch Bernadetta," she ordered. Ferdinand headed out at a trot as Edelgard and Hubert watched silently, Dorothea and Petra talked, and Caspar chattered at a yawning Lindhardt.

Ferdinand was soon back. "She says she isn't coming."

Myrina took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then let it out in a disgusted sigh. "Hubert, go put in a request to have Bernadetta's door fixed and then fetch her to class."

"But her door isn't broken, Professor," Ferdinand protested, confused. Myrina ignored him, her eyes unwavering.

"As you wish," Hubert said and bowed. As he left, the chattering stopped. When Hubert returned several minutes later with an unconscious Bernadetta slung over his shoulder, the room was tense and silent.

"Hubert! Did you bring her to harm?" Petra demanded angrily. Once again, Myrina ignored what the other students were saying as she pointed to a spot on the floor. Hubert dropped his unwanted burden. Myrina crossed the training yard, picked up the bucket of drinking water, and threw it all over Bernadetta, waking her from her faint. Bernadetta shrieked.

"You have wasted more than fifteen minutes of your classmates' time with your inconsiderateness," Myrina said frostily. "I believe you owe them an apology."

"Professor!" she whined. "I told Ferdinand-"

"That is not an apology," Myrina cut her off. "The only words I want to hear from your lips are 'I'm sorry; it won't happen again."

"I-" Bernadetta started to protest again, then quailed under the look Myrina gave her. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"And?"

"It won't happen again."

"It had better not. I won't baby you like this again." Myrina, dressed in a dark blue dancer's dress paced, her hands behind her back. "Since I gave you a week off, I now know which of you are serious about being here, which of you are going through the bare motions, and which of you will piss away my time and yours given half a chance."

Some of the class looked guilty, others shocked at her vulgar language.

"That stops. Now. From now until you graduate, your time is mine. You will spend every morning in practical lessons under my eye, every afternoon in lectures, and you will follow my every instruction as soon as I give it. Your noble mommies and daddies aren't on this training yard. The goddess isn't in my classroom. I am your highest authority and you will do as I say. You will pass your exams- and our monthly missions are exams. If you live, you've passed. If you get yourselves killed after you graduate because you didn't learn what I have to teach you- it's not my problem anymore."

 _Interesting,_ Hubert thought.

"Now. On your feet and start jogging. I will tell you when to stop."

Hubert hated running. 

As they jogged, she talked. "All right, this month's mission is to eliminate a group of bandits at a place called Zanado. Has anyone ever been there?"

Panting and thudding feet answered her.

"I will take that as a 'no'. From now on, I want to hear 'yes, ma'am, or 'no, ma'am. Is that understood?"

A ragged chorus of "yes, ma'am" answered her.

"As I mentioned after our mock battle, information is the most important resource a commander can have. I want each of you to learn what you can about the terrain and history of the area and report back to me, either verbally or with a written report on my desk. This is not a secret mission- you can discuss it with other classes if you believe you can gain more information that way."

There was another chorus of "yes, ma'am"s.

"It will be the first time many of you will fight with spell and live steel. To assess your skills, mid-month we will have another mock battle, this time with the Knights of Seiros. I will announce the day on the Friday before."

"But Saturday afternoon is my best nap time," Linhardt gasped, red-faced from the run.

Myrina actually sounded amused as she answered, "I already give all of you the evenings to rest, read, nap, do hobbies, and sneak in and out of each others' rooms. Giving up the occasional free afternoon won't crimp your overactive hormones too much." She watched them for a minute or two longer, then said "Walk it off and stretch it out. Bernadetta, since you are the reason your classmates have no water, you will walk to the well and draw them some more. Don't dawdle. After our water break, I'll divide you into pairs and we'll start some basic drills..."

* * *

The practice battle was a disaster as far as Edelgard and Hubert were concerned.

Once again, Myrina was using trees and bushes to her advantage with the "lure 'em in, ranged fighters weaken them, front line mop up" strategy. A bunch of swordsmen swung in from the north and Myrina ordered Hubert to use his spear to run them off. Meanwhile, Edelgard was at the far southern side of the battlefield. She thought she saw a way...

"Bernadetta! Cover me!" she ordered and broke cover.

Almost immediately, two lancers darted around her to stab Bernadetta. The other three rammed her harder than she felt was necessary with their practice spears covered in white chalk.

"Edelgard, Bernadetta, out!" Jeralt called. Bernadetta burst into tears as Edelgard sat on the ground in digust.

They were the only two Eagle casualties.

"Great job, everyone," Myrina praised the class as the Knights packed up to leave. "You worked well together. I only hope you do as well when we get to Zanado. Those smears on your uniforms won't be chalk then. Keep practicing your drills, I'll see everyone on Monday. Edelgard, you're Fighter exam is scheduled for next Saturday."

Edelgard blinked her surprise. "Even though I was the only one to fail?" she asked as the others left, chattering about how well they did.

Myrina's eyes flashed. "Bernadetta also took lethal damage today. You qualify and I have no reason to hold you back. Arrogance and a disregard for your officers' lives doesn't matter for Fighter. I'd have to make a note in your file if you were trying for a leadership class, such as Lord." She gathered her practice gear and strode off, leaving Edelgard feeling as if she had just been slapped.

"How dare she?" Hubert asked through clenched teeth. Edelgard held up a hand to silence him. Ahead of them, Professor Myrina was walking with her father.

"They're all green," she was saying. "I'll do my best to keep them alive, but some will be harder than others."

Edelgard remembered bragging to Myrina earlier in the month "do you mistake me for being green?", and was certain this was a direct allusion.

"How dare she?" Edelgard asked through clenched teeth. _I'll show her! I'll be the best student in this class!_ She vowed and stalked back to the monastery in silence.

* * *

They were all edgy as they entered the Red Canyon a few days later. Myrina moved like a scenting hound, fast and eager, but her eyes were wary as she watched in every direction. Petra was more of the cat, almost slinking as she kept her hand near her sword. Edelgard strode purposefully, with Hubert as close as her shadow. Bernadetta huddled close to Dorothea, who stayed herself close to Petra. Caspar and Ferdinand were eager, while Linhardt blearily brought up their rear.

"Professor," Petra said eagerly. "Please permit me to be scouting ahead. I am the most used to the hunting."

Myrina nodded and held up her hand for the others to halt. Petra slipped on ahead and was back several minutes later.

"At the top of this path, there is a flat place. A wide stone staircase is leading down. A dirt staircase is to the left and longer. The bandits are being in a ruined building in the...valley at the bottom of the staircases," she reported.

"And how many are there?" Myrina asked.

"About twice our number."

Edelgard immediately suggested they could use the dirt road to come at their enemy from both directions. 

"Classic pincer maneuver," Myrina noted. "Our enemies aren't very sophisticated, so that might work. Normally, however, I wouldn't want to divide my forces when facing twice our own number. We'll want those who move the fastest on that side."

There were a few nods at that. Edelgard glanced downward at the subtle rebuke.

"Draw your weapons and take formation," Myrina ordered. The Eagles scrambled to obey. She drew her own sword, looked them over, and pointed it across the bridge. "Black Eagles- advance!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard - > Fighter


	3. Chapter 3

"Concussion," Myrina said succinctly, pulling back one of Ferdinand's eyelids. "Linhardt, if you would, please?"

The young man, his eyes still horrified, held his hands over Ferdinand's face. They trembled as white light infused them.

"I don't know which will hurt him worse," Dorothea sniffed. "His pride that he was the only one injured badly today or the scar on his pretty noble face."

"Dorothea!" Petra sounded both shocked and amused. "You are being deliberately cruel."

Ferdinand groaned and his eyelids fluttered. 

"Caspar, Petra, and I will take turns aiding him back to the monastery." Myrina ordered.

"Wha' happened?" Ferdinand's voice was slurred and slow as Caspar pulled his arm across his shoulder and most of his weight off his feet.

"You ran out in front and those two swordsmen were faster than you thought," Myrina answered. Her tone said volumes. Ferdinand groaned again.

"Try not to let him puke on you, and I think we can start back to the monastery," she said and led them from the red canyon.

* * *

Linhardt seemed to be feeling better by Sunday when he and Caspar had dessert with the Professor. Afterwards, she deliberately sought out Dorothea, who was with Petra as usual. She slid onto the bench across from them and they greeted her with smiles.

"I'm glad you don't mind being seen in public with your teacher," she said. "And that I'm not interrupting anything."

"Your presence is always welcoming, Professor!" Petra assured her.

"Three pretty ladies sitting at one table? What could be better for conversation!" Dorothea winked.

"I am not understanding. Is it that our conversation will be better because we are pretty, or that we will cause others to be talking?" Petra asked.

"Both, silly!" Dorothea beamed. "What brings you here? We saw you ate earlier."

"Ashe," Myrina said, and reflexively all three of them turned and looked at the solemn young man picking at his tray. "I doubt he'll open up about his father to me, and I don't know any of the Blue Lions besides Dimitri. I was hoping one of you two would speak to him, give him a little comfort-"

"You want us to spy on him for you," Dorothea said flatly.

Rather than back-pedaling or denying it as Dorothea expected, Myrina answered bluntly "yes".

"But why would you be wishing such a thing, Professor?" Petra asked.

"Information is the most important thing an officer needs," Myrina reminded them. "It is supposedly unlikely that we will be facing this group of rebels ourselves, but something could go very wrong. That is why I want to know who Lonato is, why he's rebelling, the composition of his forces and how loyal his peasant militia is to him. All of that could keep us alive if he sends a detachment around to flank and we wind up riding directly into his path."

There was a pause and then Dorothea said, "Petra ought to do it. People will- well, it's her accent. No one will be suspicious if she's the one asking questions. And Ashe thinks she's cute. He watches her during archery lessons."

"Is this a fact?" Petra asked. "I had never been noticing."

"Of course! You're simply gorgeous!" Dorothea assured her. "A man would have to be blind not to see it! But if he tries more than just looking, I'm going to be pretty jealous..."

"If he tries more than just the looking, he will learn I have no time for the silly games of courting," Petra said firmly. "But I will go and ask the questions for our professor. I, too, have curiosity about this man named Lonato."

"Thank you," Myrina said and left.

* * *

"Are you sober?" Myrina asked, poking her head around the door of her father's room.

"Now what kind of a question is that?" Jeralt demanded, annoyed.

"I found your flask lying in front of the audience chamber earlier," she reminded him.

"Oh. That." Jeralt grimaced. She walked in and perched on the edge of the desk. 

"When I brought it back to you earlier, you said you'd been there before at the invitation of the son, Cristophe. So you never met the father, Lord Lonato?"

"Never saw him."

"Why did he invite you there?" She pressed.

"The usual-bandit troubles."

"What sort of forces?" This was the area she was most interested in.

"The gentry were mounted, the bandits had axes."

"Many gentry?"

"Just the lord's son and a couple of his friends from Academy days. They probably don't have any except the old man now. Cavalry, as you know, is expensive to maintain and the land is poor and mountainous. The bulk of what cavalry the Kingdom had was mostly destroyed during the Duscur incident."

"What about the militia?" Myrina asked.

"A few peasant levies with spears and household retainers with bows or swords."

Myrina put her hands on the desk behind her and leaned back. "None of that sounds like nearly enough of a force to challenge us, let alone the Knights of Seiros," she pointed out. "Does he have an alliance with any of his neighbors?"

"Mutual defense treaties, largely written under the auspices of the old king," Jeralt informed her. "I don't know of any other Kingdom nobles stupid enough to attack the church unprovoked. But, like I said, it has been a few years since I was last in Lonato's territory."

"And you would have no idea what all this is about?" She knew the answer but was double-checking to be sure.

"Not one, kiddo," he said. "You'll have to go elsewhere for that. Now what else is on your mind?"

"Her Highness said something strange when we got back from Zanado. 'Maybe the ones who built this place are still influencing us in secret to this day'. Or something along those lines." Myrina shook her head. "The ways she said it was as if she expected those words to mean something to me."

"Kids telling each other spook stories," Jeralt chuckled and shook his own head mirroring her. "I'm surprised you fell for it."

"Not like that," she insisted. "More... knowing. Like she was asking a leading question and waiting for me to follow up."

"I don't know," he said. "Some recruit was busily trying to feed me the old line about the ghost in the well. I've heard it a thousand times and yet I've never seen a ghost rise up and get anyone. Now shoo. I've got paperwork, kiddo."

Unconvinced, Myrina reluctantly slid off the desk and went on her way.

* * *

"Professor," Petra said, standing at attention beside Myrina's desk a few days later. "I am able to be reporting now."

"At ease," Myrina said, her face as serious as ever, but Petra thought she detected some warmth and humor behind the Professor's voice. She waited until the last two students- Edelgard and Dorothea- left, trailing curious glances over their shoulders. She leaned in. "Now. What did you find out?"

"Ashe is very loyal to Lord Lonato because he is being- I mean, has been- adopted. He is very confused and does not have understanding why his adopted father should be doing such a thing as having a rebellion. I was a little rude and kept asking the question, and Ashe said maybe it has to do with when Lonato's real son was arrested by the church. The church had the say that Lonato's real-born son was in Tragedy in a place called Duscur and the church performed the execution. This was when Ashe had thirteen years."

Myrina sat back and digested that. "So he waited four years for revenge," she said slowly. "But why now? And why when his adopted heir is here? That seems... risky."

"Ashe does not have the knowledge," Petra answered. "But he does have the great commoner skill at making the bargains. He helped me with the shopping and the carrying back of the vulneraries yesterday evening. The extra change is here." She put a handful of coins on the desk.

"Thank you, Petra." Myrina counted it, then handed two coins back to Petra. "A commission for you and for Ashe for doing a good job with the shopping."

"A commission?" Petra asked. 

"Reward. Bonus. Payment for services." Myrina explained.

"Thank you, Professor, but it is Ashe who should be getting the rewarding," Petra protested.

"Then give your share to Ashe if it makes you feel better. And Edelgard-" Myrina raised her voice. "If you're going to eavesdrop, keep a firmer eye on where the sun is."

Petra turned, surprised, just in time to see a faint shadow against the red stained glass twitch guiltily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard-> Fighter
> 
> Bernadetta/Dorothea C  
> Ferdinand/Bernadetta C  
> Edelgard/Ferdinand C


	4. Chapter 4

They were expecting sword and bows, with one or two cavalry, if they managed to break through the Knights of Seiros.

What they got was miscommunication, fog, and the entire rebelling force using that fog to slip past the Knights only to run directly into the Black Eagles.

The very first thing that happened was a spearman and archer ran out of the fog. Hubert managed to fight off and kill the spearman, but went down with an arrow through the thick part of his bicep. Slowly, the Eagles made their way west across the battlefield, until they encountered a very powerful dark mage who took a surprising amount of damage before Edelgard brought him down.

The fog cleared instantly.

"How in the name of the Blue Star did he manage to afford a weather witch?" Myrina swore. As the fog blew away, they saw Lonato for the first time. He haunted them about their 'filthy church' no longer being able to hide.

"Hey old man, it was your dark mage causing it!" Caspar shouted back. Edelgard saw Myrina's eyes narrow in thought and knew she was going to have to head off that line of speculation later.

Step by step, the Eagles beat the rebels back until finally Lonato was slain.

"Much larger and better armed strike force than anticipated," Myrina murmured. "They even had an armor knight. Heaven knows how we would have fared if they'd had fliers. But certainly he couldn't have been stupid enough to think he could have taken the church with those numbers." She looked around at her dispirited class. "Linhardt, do what you can to get Hubert back on his feet. We need to get back to the monastery."

* * *

"Sloppy and suspicious," Edelgard reiterated, leaning her hip against the table in the library. Tomas would make sure they weren't interrupted.

"The note has achieved its purpose," Hubert pointed out. "All of the monastery's security except for us will be gathered around that woman."

"Us, our entire class, and the Professor," Edelgard said. "She is already suspicious- luckily, not of us. She realized someone else had to be supplying Lonato's men with equipment and augmenting his forces. I think she has even realized that he was intended to fail."

"She is one woman. She can be dealt with, my lady." Hubert suggested.

Edelgard was silent for several long moments. "She saved my life, Hubert. Also, I respect her. I believe she can be brought around to our way of thinking."

Hubert bowed silently.

"I just wonder if my uncle isn't being too careless with our resources," Edelgard mused. "Arming all of those militia and then throwing them away just to make sure a fake note fell into the hands of the Knights so that he can get his hands on the remains of Seiros?"

"And have you decided whether or not to continue with the first plan she foiled, Lady Edelgard?" Hubert asked. Again, his lady paused and thought.

"No," she decided. "Not here at the Academy. I had it set up so that it would look like a terrible accident, those poor rich children killed by nasty bandits for their money. If Claude or Dimitri die here at the Academy, it will obviously be the work of assassins and the entire suspicion would be on the one house leader who wasn't killed."

"Sound reasoning, my lady," he approved, though privately Hubert thought that he could easily arrange a couple of innocent seeming accidents of his own. Edelgard lapsed into thought and Hubert stood silently by until she remembered he was there and dismissed him.

As he went looking for Professor Myrina, he reflected with pride on what an emperor Lady Edelgard would one day make!

* * *

"If you incur our wrath, you will see just what I mean," Hubert allowed his most sinister smile to cross his lips. Myrina stared at him for several long moments, then grasped his arm firmly.

"What an excellent idea," she said. "I haven't eaten yet either, and we really haven't gotten the chance to get to know each other yet."

Hubert was confused by her non-sequitur and wondered if she had cracked under the strain. She towed him down the cobbled walk, and just as he thought she was completely insane, he felt the point of the knife she wore at her belt prick him between the ribs of his school uniform. He stiffened and realized that her body hid the knife from view should anyone else come along. She propelled him through the doors of the mess hall and pushed him firmly into a seat. The knife disappeared as she sat across from him.

"Master Gautier. Would you be so kind as to bring a plate for myself and one for young Master von Vestra?" She hooked the nearest student.

"Um, sure thing, Professor," he said. It looked as if he were about to launch into his usual routine, but Hubert shot him a withering glance and Sylvain left, returning quickly with two plates. Sylvain then lifted both eyebrows at Hubert, smirked, and left again.

"I didn't think we were going to need this talk so soon," Myrina said in a normal tone, her voice pleasant. "But you are making some shockingly bad errors."

"Am I really? Pray do enlighten me, Professor."

"With pleasure," she responded. "Step one: do not skulk in shadows and speak in whispers. Nothing draws attention faster than that. If you have private plotting, do it in a noisy, crowded place where no one is paying attention to you- here, for instance, or the training yard. Luckily, most people have sordid minds and assume you and Her Highness keep sneaking off together in dark passages for more mundane reasons. Unfortunately, that's eventually going to ruin her reputation. You have a duty not only to protect her body, but her image. Not to mention, dark narrow passages echo, making it more likely that someone out of sight around the corner or above you can eavesdrop."

"Lady Edelgard is above such petty gossip," he scoffed to hide his embarrassment that a common mercenary was teaching a von Vestra about operating in the shadows- and she was right.

"Wrong," she snapped. "No woman in a position of command is- never, ever give your enemies anything they can use against you as a weapon, especially gossip. The best lie is one that has a grain of truth, and the truth is that you two have been conspicuous together."

"And what do you believe we are plotting together, Professor?" he purred in a malicious tone.

"I don't know and I don't care," Myrina said flatly. "Most likely some intrigue that affects the court and has nothing to do with me. It's not my job to find out. My job is to teach the cream of Adrestrian society- the nine of you- how to perform your future duties and how to stay alive. The problem, Hubert, is that you have no subtlety."

"Oh, don't I? Do tell." To his own shock, he found he was enjoying this.

"Error number two: you've tipped your hand much too early. I can only assume that either you are trying to take everyone's attention off of Her Highness or that you are so proud of your position that you don't realize the danger in being too obvious of a threat. Intimidating your classmates? Outright threats? An amateur's mistake."

"And what should you have done in my place, Professor?"

"A man who serves from the shadows should stay IN the shadows." Myrina stared intently into his eyes. "Stand silently at her shoulder. Immediately perform whatever task she asks of you. And most importantly, watch everyone and everything. Then, when one of those delicate little situations comes up, you can take care of it swiftly and silently, leaving her with plausible deniability. As it is, you've made yourself very obvious. You'll now be the first one suspicion falls on if something... sinister... happens, and as everyone knows you don't stir without her permission, she probably knows what you've done." She finally dropped her gaze to her plate, took a bite, and chewed. "Always, always remember that your first duty is to her needs, not to her wants."

"And who were you, Professor, before you saved Lady Edelgard's life and arrived here?" he asked, and only barely remembered in time not to whisper.

Was that amusement in her eyes as she answered? "Me? I'm just a very lucky mercenary who has to work for a living."

Convinced she was mocking him, he shoved back the bench and stalked coldly from the room.

* * *

"Your Highness? A word?" Professor Myrina called after class. Edelgard came to the desk and stood waiting until the other students left the room. After a moment, the Professor said, "I hear you are less than pleased with your partner for grounds duty?"

"His competitive nature makes it hard to get along with him," Edelgard answered cautiously.

"I see," Myrina folded her hands. "Has it occurred to you that your classmates are the very people you will be treating with and trying to appease when you are emperor? The people you will be needing as allies to achieve your goals? Now, during your school days, is when you need to be cultivating them. Especially, perhaps, von Aegir."

Edelgard sighed. "You're right, of course, Professor. It is merely that he is... insufferable."

Myrina lifted an eyebrow. "There is an old saying which you have probably heard- 'praise a fool that you might make him useful'. Young Master Aegir has a very different viewpoint from Young Master von Vestra and some interesting ideas about the treatment of commoners. You might do well to have him as an advisor."

"Also, 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'," Edelgard quoted. "Very well, Professor, I will give it some thought. I am very bad at praising fools."

Myrina nodded. "I am, too," she confided. "Please spend the day of the festival resting tomorrow so that we are sharp and ready for whatever awaits us in this so-called Holy Mausoleum."

"But of course," Edelgard answered. "Have a good evening, my teacher." She smiled briefly and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard > Fighter  
> Myrina > Myrmidon  
> Linhardt> Monk
> 
> Petra/Myrina C  
> Edelgard/Bernadetta C  
> Linhardt/Caspar C  
> Myrina/Caspar C  
> Myrina/Hubert C  
> Myrina/Bernadetta C  
> Myrina/Ferdinand C  
> Edelgard/Petra C


	5. Chapter 5

Edelgard was coming to respect Myrina's skill more and more. Keeping perfectly calm, she compensated for the flickering shadows and confusing echoes masterfully, directing the students towards the foes they needed to gang up on with sharp, precise hand gestures. Her face was she cut down the Western Church 'apostates' was perfectly unemotional.

The only wrinkle came when Bernadetta, in the center aisle, approached the Death Knight. As she looked up at the large, imposing figure mounted on the black steed, she panicked.

"No!" she gasped, her voice slowly crescendoing. "Nononono NO! Keep away from me!" She backpedaled away from him, stumbling up the stairs towards the center coffin.

"Bernadetta! Watch behind you!" Edelgard shouted, running forward.

She was too late. Two of the Western Church soldiers raced forward, trapping Bernadetta between them. Edelgard faltered briefly as Bernadetta screamed, covered in burns from Faith magic.

"Lady Edelgard!" Hubert shouted from near the wall on the left-hand side of the hall as Edelgard rushed forward again, cutting down the mage and turning to meet the swordsman.

_Right. I cannot let this battle distract me from my purpose._

Professor Myrina seemed to materialize out of nowhere, firing an arrow at the Agarthan mage. Edelgard charged past her, slicing deeply into the mage as the seal on the coffin ruptured.

_Finally! If I can just distract the Professor..._

Professor Myrina yanked Edelgard back to perceived safety as she faced the mage. To Edelgard's shock, the mage pulled out not skeletal remnants, but a strange sword relic- missing its crest stone. Effortlessly, Myrina disarmed him and snatched the relic out of the air. As it solidly slipped into her waiting palm, a red glow shot down the blade.

 _Well,_ Edelgard mused, watching Myrina dispatch the wounded mage after shattering his wards. _This changes a few things..._

* * *

When the excitement was over, Edelgard didn't need the rumors (no doubt originating from Catherine among the Knights and Dorothea and Ferdinand among the students) to identify the sword. It was depicted on tapestries and in bad romances all over Fodlan.

And despite its lack of a crest stone, Professor Myrina could use it.

_Meaning her crest is the Crest of Flames. My crest. I should be able to use it then, too. And even if I can't, I can still deliver it to my uncle..._

The loud creaking of the door to the training yard sent her heart leaping into her throat. She paused, listening intently. She heard no challenge, nothing to indicate that anyone had heard her.

_Monastery security is disgustingly lax..._

She pulled it slightly closed behind her, so that at a casual glance it wouldn't look as if anyone had disturbed it. She padded almost noiselessly across the packed sand of the arena, glanced around for good measure, and ducked into the armory. She hurried across the room and dropped to her knees next to the weapons locker.

_Hmm. I'll need to find a light..._

With a quiet metallic clank, one panel of a lantern was unshielded.

"What? Who's there?" she demanded. She was answered by vaguely familiar laughter. A moment later, the rest of the panels on the lantern were opened, revealing Professor Myrina holding the lantern and looking disapproving. The laughter came from Claude, who sat on the floor at her feet, rubbing his left shoulder with his right hand.

"Whoo! Oh, this is too much!" Claude tried to get himself back under control.

"I am disappointed in both of you," Myrina scolded. "I had a suspicion someone would try to steal it tonight after all that has happened, but I didn't expect it to be two of the house leaders. What kind of example are you setting for your houses?"

Neither of them looked very repentant.

"I am reporting this to Seteth. In addition to whatever punishment he deems necessary, you will be spending every free day we don't have a practice battle under my eye on kitchen duty, Your Highnesses. Gutting fish might be good for you." She looked at them with a gimlet eye. "The Sword of the Creator isn't even in this weapons locker. If I catch anyone breaking into my rooms, I will react in the manner I would with any intruder and what remains of them will be expelled. Am I clear?"

"Clear." Claude replied.

"Yes, ma'am," Edelgard said at the same time.

"Claude, scram." Myrina ordered, and he took himself off, still very much amused at the situation. She waited until they heard the outer door squeak closed, and then she sighed and sat down. "Edelgard, did Hubert tell you about our conversation?"

"What conversation?" she asked, genuinely confused, before noting that the Professor had called her by her first name.

"Well, that makes this harder," Myrina muttered. "You've probably been told since you were a child that appearances matter, but both you and Hubert seem to show a concerning lack of attention to what others think of you."

"I am the next Emperor of Adrestria," Edelgard reminded her. "I will do what I must, regardless of what others think of me."

Myrina closed her eyes as if praying for patience. "I'm not going to ask what intrigues you're involved in that require stealing church property in the middle of the night. My point is: appearances. Delegate. It looks terrible for your image that you were caught. If you were sensible, you would have gotten someone else to do the stealing for you- or taken it from Claude if he had succeeded. You need to be able to believably say 'tsk, tsk', not be the one caught red-handed with your hand in the till." 

Edelgard slowly flushed.

"Even emperors have enemies and people who will use their weaknesses against them. You must appear to be flawless to keep them from uniting against you. Always be aware of the empire's image." Myrina surveyed her solemenly for a minute. "It's after curfew. Return to your room. You have kitchen duty tomorrow, after all."

Edelgard bowed stiffly and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Myrina > Myrmidon  
> Edelgard > Fighter  
> Hubert > Fighter  
> Ferdinand > Soldier  
> Linhardt> Monk  
> Caspar > Fighter  
> Bernadetta > Monk  
> Dorothea > Myrmidon  
> Petra > Myrmidon
> 
> Hubert/Linhardt C  
> Myrina/Linhardt C


	6. Chapter 6

It was just supposed to be bandits. Just bandits. They had dealt with bandits before. Edelgard had been one of the Eagles who helped block the reinforcements coming up the back stairway. Hubert, the Professor, and Dorothea had gone on ahead while Linhardt, Bernadetta, and Caspar had held the staircase with Edelgard. Petra and Ferdinand had slowly brought up the rear.

The disaster had struck while Edelgard had her back to the corridor. She had just cut down another swordsman coming up the stairs when she heard a loud groan of pain behind her. She whipped around to see an entire hoard of bandits pouring around the corner ahead. An axe had bitten so deeply into Hubert's shoulder that it was a wonder it wasn't severed. He slid limply down the wall, leaving a long smear of blood as he went into shock.

Myrina seized Dorothea's wrist and shoved her back, shielding the young girl against the onslaught. Edelgard started to run down the long corridor towards them as soldier after soldier smashed into Myrina's defenses. A heavily armored axeman (the same one who had injured Hubert?) rammed into her, cutting deeply into her left thigh. An arrow pierced her right. Myrina collapsed, dragging herself against the wall beside Hubert.

"Dorothea! Retreat back to the others!" She ordered, applying pressure to Hubert's shoulder and shielding him with her body.

Dorothea backed away, holding her sword between trembling hands as the bandits leered at her and stalked her. She already also had a slice open on her leg, and it shook as it supported her. The swordsman raced towards her. Dorothea parried and cut him down- then turned directly into a slice at her face.

And then Caspar, Edelgard, and Bernadetta were there in a whirlwind of violence. Edelgard flicked the blood from her axe and turned to kneel beside Hubert and Myrina.

Myrina, shivering in her dark blue leathers, shook her head and hand-signaled them on. "That was probably the main body of them," she said, teeth chattering as she, too, fought shock. "The six of you should have no problems apprehending their leader."

Linhardt, looking sick, also knelt beside Myrina.

"Don't waste your strength," she ordered him. "These will take more than a simple healing spell to cover. Just stop the bleeding and then concentrate on keeping your other five classmates on their feet."

He nodded reluctantly, and touched her legs, his hands suffused with a soft, white glow. As her eyelids fluttered shut, Myrina murmured, "they always mark the faces of the pretty ones".

Linhardt also closed Hubert's shoulder wound and then touched Dorothea's face. He stood and looked grimly at his classmates as Ferdinand and Petra caught up.

"We have our orders," Edelgard said. "Let's go."

Her stomach knotted as they walked away, leaving faithful Hubert, the beautiful diva, and her brave, lovely professor lying unconscious among the dead as if already dead themselves.

* * *

Despite warnings from Manuela to take it easy, Myrina was jogging every morning to make sure that her legs wouldn't weaken while she recovered. Hubert still had his arm in a sling. Dorothea, skilled with make-up, covered the red gash on her face and looked as she had before, excepting only a slight pucker at the corner of one green eye.

"You are still beautiful," Edelgard overheard Petra telling her. "You have no need to always be worrying. I cannot tell that you are hiding the face."

"You're so sweet," Dorothea said in tears, "but I've already explained how important this is! Without my looks, I have nothing!"

"You still have the looks," Petra said firmly. "And you will be having any man you want. If you do not have the marriage by the end of the year, I will take you to my home and you will be singing the beautiful songs of Fodlan there. I will not be leaving my good friend to suffer what she fears."

Edelgard hurried away. She was relieved that none of her classmates were prying too closely into the matter of Miklan and seemed more wrapped up in their own worries and personal dramas. She was also frustrated. How could they all just accept the church's judgment like this? They had seen the monster that Miklan had become because of the so-called "holy" relic with their own eyes!

Even so, there wasn't much she could do to make them wake up until they were willing to see the truth for themselves. Perhaps she, too, should focus on the here and now, and what she was able to change. She could help Dorothea and Petra. Even if Petra wasn't allowed to leave Fodlan soon because of the 'situation' with Brigid, Edelgard made up her mind that she would make sure the two of them could stay together.

* * *

"You leave me no choice but to take matters into my own hands," Hubert told his lady and bowed low, leaving the classroom. He gingerly touched his shoulder as he strode away, thinking. She was confiding so much- too much- in their Professor. Hubert was no expert on the subject, but he was beginning to fear that the Lady Edelgard was developing an infatuation with the Professor. He briefly considered again the idea of assassination, but there were two considerations against the plan- it would be extremely risky at the monastery, and Edelgard would be upset with him if Myrina was killed without proof of demonstrable risk.

He left the monastery grounds and wandered into the forest. One use of warp powder later, he was sitting in Lord Arundel's study.

"Hubert. What an unexpected pleasure." The dark mage said in a flat voice.

"My lord," Hubert said and bowed the exact degree of scrupulous politeness, and not a centimeter more. "I have made a thorough survey of the monastery grounds and its inhabitants. I have identified what bloodlines and crests are present and I have found several underground chambers that might do for your experiments."

"Excellent," Arundel said. "Who are your candidates?"

"The Professor, for one. She hosts the Crest of Flames, which was thought extinct for a millennium."

Arundel pondered and shook his head. "Nemesis was human, albeit an augmented one. If there was anything more to be learned from his bloodline- but no. I seek Nabateans and their descendants, not the whelps of village women raped in conquest a thousand years ago."

Hubert was momentarily disappointed that Arundel wouldn't be taking care of his problem for him. "There are no descendants of Macuil at the academy. Three of my classmates bear the other three Saints' crests. Also, Professor Hanneman bears Indech, Seteth bears Cichol, and his sister Flayn hosts the power of Cethleann. She is the youngest and most vulnerable of the potential targets."

"Acquire her for us," Arundel ordered, his eyes burning.

"In that case, I will need to borrow back the Death Knight from you," Hubert said, noting once again how Arundel considered him to be his servant, ordering him around with a freedom that Lady Edelgard never used. After several tense moments, Arundel casually waved a hand as if it didn't matter in the slightest.

"Oh, very well," he said, and then a look of cunning spread over his face. "But perhaps we can use this opportunity. I will be sending a student to join the Black Eagles and she can be 'rescued' when this girl Flayn is inevitably found."

Hubert didn't bother to respond to the insult. He bowed and used the warp powder to return to his room at the Academy.

Strange that he already knew it well enough to use as a warp point.

* * *

"Show me," Edelgard commanded.

"My lady, there is simply no need," Hubert protested. "If you know too much, it will look suspicious."

"If my lord uncle and the Agarthans are going to be infiltrating the Academy, I need to know when and where," she argued. "I need to know this Academy like the back of my hand, to be able to Warp anywhere within it at will. Especially in case something else goes wrong."

Exasperated (he was trying to protect her!), Hubert bowed. "As you wish."

* * *

It was late in the evening and Seteth was meeting with the cardinals. Flayn had seized the chance to sneak into town and visit a bookseller who carried the sort of books her elder brother did not approve of. On her way back to the monastery, she turned a corner (clutching two adventure novels and a book of erotic poetry to her chest) to see a large figure in black armor and a death's head mask stalking towards her.

"What? Oh my! Who are you?" she demanded.

The menacing figure said nothing.

"How did you get past the monastery guards? What do you want?" Her voice rose.

The Death Knight silently lifted his scythe. As Flayn opened her mouth to scream, a noxious handkerchief was pressed over her face. She sagged and collapsed. The figure behind her stepped back and let her fall.

"Well done, Death Knight. Take her to the place I showed you."

"As you wish," the deep, altered voice said and lifted the unstruggling girl.

* * *

Flayn had been missing for two days. The Professor's face was drawn and white as they searched with only the dimmest hints to go by. She possessed a knowledge of the seamier side of human nature, and she clearly felt that Flayn was no longer in the monastery.

_And indeed, we should move her as soon as we get the opportunity, before something goes wrong..._

It was as they were inevitably discussing the disappearance that Caspar crashed into the classroom.

"Everyone, hurry! I heard a scream from Professor Jeritza's room!"

Something had just gone wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Myrina > Myrmidon  
> Edelgard > Fighter  
> Hubert > Fighter  
> Ferdinand > Soldier  
> Linhardt> Monk  
> Caspar > Fighter  
> Bernadetta > Monk  
> Dorothea > Myrmidon  
> Petra > Myrmidon
> 
> Edelgard/Hubert C  
> Edelgard/Linhardt C  
> Edelgard/Caspar C  
> Edelgard/Dorothea C  
> Hubert/Ferdinand C  
> Hubert/Caspar C  
> Hubert/Dorothea C  
> Ferdinand/Petra C  
> Linhardt/Dorothea C  
> Linhardt/Petra C  
> Caspar/Dorothea C  
> Caspar/Petra C  
> Dorothea/Petra B  
> Ferdinand/Bernadetta B

**Author's Note:**

> As with Dawn of Unification, I am using a different name for Byleth because it takes a very different woman to choose the Eagles vs the Deer. So just as I referred to Byleth as Larishka in that one, she is Myrina in this playthough.


End file.
